When you’ve got fasteners to tighten an adjustable wrench is your best mate. Gripping onto the nut or bolt with its adjustable notched end, a wrench gives you leverage to tighten (or undo) nuts and bolts, no sweat. It’s far easier and gives a better result than hand tightening, so you know that fastener is solid.
Wrenches FAQ
What are wrenches used for?
You use a wrench tool to tighten or loosen fasteners like nuts and bolts. The end has a notch that you can widen or narrow to perfectly fit and hold onto the fastener. The long handle allows you to apply more force than you’d have with bare hands to spin the fastener in the direction you want. If you’re doing automotive repairs, tinkering in the shed, or tightening all types of gear, a wrench is the tool you need in your kit.
Why use a wrench instead of a ratchet wrench?
While both a wrench and a ratchet wrench can tighten or loosen, there’s a bit of a difference. Your usual wrench requires you to spin the wrench
around the fastener, which is great if you have the turning space. But when you’re working in confined spaces, like engines or machinery, you’ll need to keep repositioning it, which gets old pretty fast. That’s where a ratchet wrench comes in handy. The ratchet wrench grips on and continuously tightens the fastener while you crank it back and forth. Both are great little fastening tools, but reach for a ratchet when space is at a premium.
Can I use a wrench instead of a spanner?
You can absolutely use a wrench instead of a spanner as they both essentially do the same job. The main difference is that a wrench has an adjustable width head, meaning you can set it to suit the size of the fastener you’re working with. Spanners on the other hand are just one size, and usually come in a set so you can pick the size you need for the fastener at hand.
What is the difference between a socket wrench and an open wrench?
An open or regular wrench is long and straight, and relies on there being room to rotate it around the nut or bolt to loosen it. A socket wrench allows you to reach recessed fasteners that a regular wrench just can’t get to. Socket wrenches have a ratchet mechanism with a square drive attached that allows you to connect sockets of different sizes, depending on the fastener and depth you need to reach.
